The present invention relates generally to improvements in electric shutter cameras, and it relates more particularly to an improved electric shutter camera, in which exposure is effected by the excitation of an electromagnet and the transportation or winding of the film for successive exposures are effected by a manual operation.
In general, an electric shutter camera of the subject type, in which exposure is effected by the excitation of an electromagnet or solenoid is provided with a switch which is closed by the depression of a shutter release member, whereby the excitation of the electromagnet is effected due to the closure of the switch. The electric shutter camera of this type, however, suffers from an disadvantage in that if the manual advance or winding of the film for the next successive exposure is performed, then many problems arise. More particularly, if the shutter release member is inadvertently depressed before the manual advance of the film, a full frame or increment, the electromagnet is again excited, so that the film image surface which has been previously subjected to exposure, is again exposed.
Accordingly, for avoiding the aforesaid disadvantages which are experienced with the prior art electric shutter camera of the subject type, there has been proposed a locking member which locks the shutter release member in its retracted position which has been assumed before the depression thereof, for the time duration from the completion of the exposure until the film has been advanced a full frame for the subsequent exposure. However, the provision of the locking member necessitates the use of a release member which detects the completion of the film transportation and releases the shutter release member from its locked condition effected by the locking member, and an actuating member which detects the completion of exposure and moves the locking member to a position where the shutter release member is locked.
As a result, a camera of the above construction requires additional space to house the additional members therein, thus resulting in an increase in the size of a camera and hence resulting in increased bulk and complexity. It is highly convenient if an electric shutter camera permits multi-exposure when desired. However, if the above locking member is used therein, then the aforesaid locking member must cooperate not only with the completion of the film transportation, but also with the switching operation required for multi-exposure, thus resulting in further complications in the mechanism.